


Not Your Average Babysitters

by Mahokoyuki



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Babysitting, Gen, Language, Oops we lost the kid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:02:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25789273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mahokoyuki/pseuds/Mahokoyuki
Summary: “You got my PHS, right?  And Tifa’s?”“Yes, and yes.  Barrett, Cid is waiting.  It’s just until tonight.  I can handle it.”“I know.  Just used ta havin’ Tifa ‘round.”“I understand.  I know I’m not your first choice but I am actually good with children.  Well, Cait is...”Barrett sent Reeve a glare at that.  “Ya kidnapped her, Reeve.  I think I can worry jus’ a little.”“I thought we were past that, but...fair.  Don’t worry.  I won’t let her out of my sight.”
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	Not Your Average Babysitters

**Author's Note:**

> My piece for the FF7 Lifestream zine ^_^

“You got my PHS, right? And Tifa’s?”

“Yes, and yes. Barrett, Cid is waiting. It’s just until tonight. I can handle it.”

“I know. Just used ta havin’ Tifa ‘round.”

“I understand. I know I’m not your first choice but I am actually good with children. Well, Cait is...”

Barrett sent Reeve a glare at that. “Ya kidnapped her, Reeve. I think I can worry jus’ a little.”

“I thought we were past that, but...fair. Don’t worry. I won’t let her out of my sight.” 

Barrett grumbled, grabbing his jacket from the back of the couch. “Good. Ain’t used to this place yet.” Reeve hummed in agreement. Edge was coming together, slowly but surely. But not everyone that relocated from Midgar was happy that Shinra was gone. Radical loyalists had been causing some trouble lately. Not quite in Edge, exactly, but Reeve understood why Barrett was cautious. 

“If it puts your mind at ease, I did enlist some help.”

“Help? The hell you get? Yuffie’s stuck in Wutai til we pick her up, Vincent is the fuck knows where—“

“Yo!” 

“You gotta be fu-“ Barrett continued to grumble as he went downstairs. In the middle of the empty bar area stood Reno, clad in jeans and a faded yellow shirt with Costa del Sol written in a purple cursive on the front.

“Wallace.” He greeted and turned his attention to Reeve. “This casual enough for the job?”

“This is crazy!” Barrett rounded on Reeve. “I don’t like this. One single hair on Marlene’s head outta place and I’m shooting you both in your asses. Got it?”

Reeve held up his hands. “Everything will be fine. I promise.”

Reno’s mouth fell open. “You called me to babysit? For real?”

Barrett shot a glare at Reno but Reeve stepped in before he could do much else. “You should tell Marlene goodbye. Everything will be fine. Great, even.” Barrett reluctantly went back upstairs.

“Seriously, Reeve? You couldn’t think of anyone better to help you babysit the brat? Not a single one, yo?”

Reeve could think of plenty of people other than Reno. Other than himself as well. But this was an opportunity for them both. Reeve’s relationship with the former AVALANCHE members could still be rocky at times. He understood why, but it wouldn’t stop Reeve from trying to make it up to them and strengthen their friendship.

Reno, on the other hand, hardly had a relationship with them outside of being a former enemy. It may not ever make a difference in how they felt about him, but Reeve figured it would be good for him to try and be friendly as well. 

“A few, yes. Still chose you.”

“Lucky me.”

—

Marlene was...different. Reeve expected being asked to play dolls or dress up, or perhaps watch some television. Instead, after breakfast, the girl took her bowl and went to wash it. When Reeve asked to help she shook her head, no hint of a smile since her father left.

“Ain’t normal, yo.”

“Could be. For her. To my understanding she spent a lot of time alone. The difference is in Sector Seven Barrett had people he could trust to look out for and check in on her.” Reeve didn’t comment on how Reno’s jaw clenched when mentioning Sector Seven. “She probably likes to help Tifa around the house.”

“I didn’t sign up to clean Tifa’s bar or tidy up the house, Reeve.”

“Doesn’t matter, since you’re technically under my orders today.”

Reno rolled his eyes and laid his head on the bar counter. A moment later he shot back up, nearly startling Reeve out of his seat. “Got it! Let’s take her out, yo!”

“Excuse me?”

“Like, get her out of the house! Find something kids enjoy, or whatever. Maybe get a toy? Some clothes? We both have some extra money on us, yeah?”

Reno wasn’t wrong. They weren’t rich by any means but they could probably afford a nice day out between their two wallets.

“Let her be a kid...” Reeve mumbled. “That’s actually not a bad idea, Reno.”

As soon as Marlene finished the dishes Reeve asked her to get her shoes on so they could leave. She didn’t ask any questions, just nodded and quickly went to find her sneakers. Reeve grabbed his jacket, putting it back on before taking a long look at Reno. “We should probably get you a new shirt while we’re out too.”

“This shirt’s awesome, fuck off.”

“Language.”

“Pfft, like she ain’t heard worse from Wallace.”

“Papa does say a lot of bad words but that doesn’t make it okay.” The two men jumped, Marlene successfully strolling right up beside them without notice. “But he promised he’d do better.”

“Right.” Reeve agreed. “Reno should do better too.”

Reno nearly argued but Marlene looked up at him and smiled, giving a small nod. “You can do it.” The redhead sputtered and turned away, stomping toward the door and opening it. 

“Let’s just go.” He grumbled, the tips of his ears matching his hair. Reeve had to hold back a laugh. Reno, the big, bad, don’t give a flying flip Turk, was flustered by a kindergartener. 

“Where are we going?” Marlene asked as she stepped outside. 

“Shopping.”

“Ice cream.”

Reeve and Reno had both answered at the same time. Reno arched a brow and placed his hand on a jutted hip. “Ice cream, Reeve? They probably got ice cream in the freezer. Kids like toys and sh- stuff, lets go to that shop on the outskirts and find something cool.”

“The outskirts are too far.” Reeve sighed. “She’d get tired walking there and back. Plus, kids like ice cream. And it’s different than what you eat at home.”

“I’ll carry her. Hell, I can carry you too, Princess. Ice cream is lame, yo.” Reno started walking and Reeve followed, the crease on his forehead deepening. 

“And I’m not comfortable taking her to the outskirts. Most...skirmishes happen out there. 

“Wow, maybe we should get a Turk to accompany us. Oh wait.” Reno turned around and raised his hands, eyes wide. “I’m a Turk! We’re in luck, yo!” He dropped his arms and gave Reeve and unimpressed frown. “Quit being a baby. We’ll be fine.”

“How about we ask Marlene? Marlene, what would you like to do?”

Silence.

Reeve looked around. “Marlene?” 

“What the—“

“Marlene!”

“Did she take off?”

“She might have.” They were maybe 30 feet from the house, the market down the road was beginning to set up. The other direction Reeve knew to have a makeshift playground not too far away. “She probably didn’t want to wait while we bickered. Reno, we have to find her.”

“No shit. I’ll check the market. You go the other way. Call if you find her.” Reeve was thankful that Reno seemed to go into business mode. If anyone could find her in that chaos it would be him. Reeve just hoped she went to the playground instead.

Twenty minutes. It didn’t take that long to search the playground, ridiculously small as it was, but Reeve checked every nook and cranny. He went to the field next to it where a couple of boys were throwing a ball but neither had seen anyone besides Reeve since they’d come out. 

He was momentarily relieved when his PHS went off, but once he heard Reno’s voice his stomach dropped.

“She’s not here.”

“That can’t be. Reno, she’s not here either. You checked everywhere?” Reeve loosened his tie, suddenly having a hard time breathing. 

“As far as a little girl would’ve gotten in that amount of time and then some. No one’s seen her and most stores don’t even open for another half hour.”

“Then where in Gaia would she be?” 

“Calm down. I have an idea. Meet me back at the bar.” The click barely registered in Reeve’s ear before he was taking off once again.

He was a huffing puffing mess by the time he made it back to 7th Heaven. “This can’t be happening. I...she...”

“Hey, hey, listen to me. We’ll find her. Let’s go in, regroup, get you out of that stupid jacket, then we’ll look again. We gotta keep our heads though, okay?”

“Yeah. Okay. Okay.” Reeve unlocked the door to let them inside and there sitting on a table dead center of the room sat Marlene with a paper and some crayons. 

“Ifrit’s sake.” Reeve breathed out in relief, but Reno pushed past him.

“Kid, what are you doing?”

Marlene looked up from her crudely drawn Nanaki. “I was waiting for you. Did you decide where we’re going?”

Reno started to laugh. “I need a smoke.” He walked right back outside and Reeve practically collapsed into a chair at the table.

“Are you okay Mr. Reeve?”

“I am now.”

“What are we going to do?”

Reeve smiled. “Whatever you want to do, Marlene.”

Though the rest of the day went smoothly, Reeve knew his heart couldn’t take babysitting so soon again.


End file.
